A Matter of Perceptions
Perceptions are just perceptions. They do not, all the time, equate to the truth. The scary thing is perceptions look frighteningly like the truth and thus most of the time, they affect our moods just like truths do.
Last night, I was very affected by an SMS I received from a CGL.
I was trying to send out some information to the leaders via SMS cos I needed them to revert by the next day. It was already quite late by the time I finished sending individual messages to everybody, something like 12 plus midnight. Then I got a reply from this particular leader that said,
"Do you have a life?"
Quite frankly, I was rudely shocked when I saw the sms, cos I perceived it as, "don't you have a life? don't you know how late it is now and you still sent me an sms?"
It was a mixture of feelings. Hurt, disappointed, disheartened.. There I was working hard late into the night, but I got such a reaction. Sigh.
So I smsed the CGL, 'So sorry for the late SMS'.. No reply.
I was even more convinced that my interpretation of the message was correct. And I felt so down after that.
I told Isaiah what happened, and that I felt disheartened that a leader will actually send me a message like that. It could mean both ways. Either he's telling me he thinks I really work very hard for the kingdom of God, or he meant that I was invading his private time so late in the night (I checked the SMS sent and it was sent at 11pm lor!! Not that late wat! =P)
Then Isaiah said, "If you choose to perceive it the negative way, of course you will feel bad about it. But if I were you, I would choose to think the positive way. It's just an SMS, it's hard to guess what he means.."
Still I didn't believe him. I chose to think the negative way and I fell asleep feeling lousy about it. Afterall, he didn't reply my SMS wat! I bet he really felt that way!
This morning when I woke up, I saw an SMS from that CGL and it went like this, "No lar, I should thank you for working so hard!"
Haha, looks like Isaiah is right. My wise husband.
So it's all a matter of perceptions. I chose to perceive it that way because of some bad past experiences that I may have before. But if I had chosen to perceive it positively, I would at least feel better. Even if the other party really meant it negatively, at least I manage my own emotions better and not be overly affected by it.
True to my heart, I already did my best. And that's the most important, isn't it? =)
Perceptions are just perceptions. They do not, all the time, equate to the truth. The scary thing is perceptions look frighteningly like the truth and thus most of the time, they affect our moods just like truths do.
Last night, I was very affected by an SMS I received from a CGL.
I was trying to send out some information to the leaders via SMS cos I needed them to revert by the next day. It was already quite late by the time I finished sending individual messages to everybody, something like 12 plus midnight. Then I got a reply from this particular leader that said,
"Do you have a life?"
Quite frankly, I was rudely shocked when I saw the sms, cos I perceived it as, "don't you have a life? don't you know how late it is now and you still sent me an sms?"
It was a mixture of feelings. Hurt, disappointed, disheartened.. There I was working hard late into the night, but I got such a reaction. Sigh.
So I smsed the CGL, 'So sorry for the late SMS'.. No reply.
I was even more convinced that my interpretation of the message was correct. And I felt so down after that.
I told Isaiah what happened, and that I felt disheartened that a leader will actually send me a message like that. It could mean both ways. Either he's telling me he thinks I really work very hard for the kingdom of God, or he meant that I was invading his private time so late in the night (I checked the SMS sent and it was sent at 11pm lor!! Not that late wat! =P)
Then Isaiah said, "If you choose to perceive it the negative way, of course you will feel bad about it. But if I were you, I would choose to think the positive way. It's just an SMS, it's hard to guess what he means.."
Still I didn't believe him. I chose to think the negative way and I fell asleep feeling lousy about it. Afterall, he didn't reply my SMS wat! I bet he really felt that way!
This morning when I woke up, I saw an SMS from that CGL and it went like this, "No lar, I should thank you for working so hard!"
Haha, looks like Isaiah is right. My wise husband.
So it's all a matter of perceptions. I chose to perceive it that way because of some bad past experiences that I may have before. But if I had chosen to perceive it positively, I would at least feel better. Even if the other party really meant it negatively, at least I manage my own emotions better and not be overly affected by it.
True to my heart, I already did my best. And that's the most important, isn't it? =)
Comments
But honestly, thanks for working so hard...and i am now frantically wkg on something i ought to have sent u an hour ago!!! :)
you're one of my best leaders lor.. =)